Mercury switch activated radio

Abstract

A transistor radio includes a mercury switch mounted in a fixed position within an outer housing and connected to the power circuitry of the radio. The housing has a plurality of flat surfaces to permit it to be maintained in a number of different stable positions on a supporting surface, and the mercury switch is moved between circuit activating positions, to turn the radio "on", and circuit deactivating positions, to turn the radio "off", by merely changing the position of the housing on the supporting surface. Most preferably the radio includes extension arms, or knobs, connected to the circuitry, and extending through a front wall of the housing to provide for the usual tuning and audio control. These extension arms can also be employed to facilitate different positioning of the radio as may suit the mood of the user, or as is dictated by the surrounding environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A transistor radio suitable for resting upon a supporting surface comprising circuitry and a mercury switch, each positioned within an outer housing, said housing having a generally cubical shape, said mercury switch being connected in a fixed position relative to said housing so as to be movable between circuit activating and circuit deactivating conditions by the movement of said housing among different stable positions corresponding to said conditions, said mercury switch being positioned within the housing so that it will be in a circuit-activating condition when any one of several different surfaces of the housing is maintained in at least one of said stable positions corresponding to said circuit-activating condition and in engagement with the supporting surface, and in a circuit deactivating condition when the housing is maintained in any one of other stable positions corresponding to said circuit-deactivating condition said radio being in an "on" mode when the circuitry is activated and in an "off" mode when the circuitry is deactivated. 
     
     
       2. The transistor radio according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the surfaces form angular junctions therebetween, the switches being in a circuit-activating condition when at least one of said junctions contacts the supporting surface. 
     
     
       3. The transistor radio according to claim 1 including tuning and audio control members connected to the circuitry and extending through a front wall of the housing, said housing including a plurality of front edges formed at the junction of the front wall and its adjacent walls, said mercury switch being positioned within said housing so that it will be activated by orienting the housing in a respective stable position with one of its front edges engaging the supporting surface. 
     
     
       4. The transistor radio according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the tuning and audio control members also engages the supporting surface. 
     
     
       5. The transistor radio according to claim 3 wherein both of the tuning and audio control members also engage the supporting surface. 
     
     
       6. The transistor radio according to claim 1 including a loudspeaker positioned within the housing for directing audible sound through one flat housing wall, said mercury switch being retained in a position within the housing to deactivate the circuitry when the wall through which the audible sound is directed is positioned in engagement with the supporting surface. 
     
     
       7. The transistor radio according to claim 6 wherein the mercury switch is positioned to activate the circuitry when other flat surfaces of the housing are in engagement with the supporting surface.